System and method for pointing to a displayable program guide
First Claim
1. A method for establishing a referenced television information within a television program guide, the method comprising:
- establishing the referenced television information within the television program guide based on at least one display parameter;
associating a user input key with the referenced television information;
causing a portion of the television program guide to be displayed;
receiving a single activation of the user input key requesting the display of at least a portion of the referenced television information based on the at least one display parameter; and
responsive to receiving the single activation of the user input key, providing the at least a portion of the referenced television information based on the at least one display parameter.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system that allows a user to, with a single button press on a remote control, quickly navigate within a program guide to an established reference point, such as the program information associated with the last viewed channel and the current time. The establishment of a reference point provides a subscriber with a known position within program information that may cover weeks of time, thousands of channels, and a variety of categories or sorting methods. The subscriber that has advanced through many hours and channels of program information is provided with a method of easily navigating to a known reference within the program information.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for establishing a referenced television information within a television program guide, the method comprising:
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establishing the referenced television information within the television program guide based on at least one display parameter;
associating a user input key with the referenced television information;
causing a portion of the television program guide to be displayed;
receiving a single activation of the user input key requesting the display of at least a portion of the referenced television information based on the at least one display parameter; and
responsive to receiving the single activation of the user input key, providing the at least a portion of the referenced television information based on the at least one display parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for navigating a television program guide, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a referenced displayable location with at least one portion of the television program guide;
associating a user input key with the referenced displayable location based on at least one display parameter;
causing a portion of the television program guide to be displayed;
receiving a single activation of the user input key requesting to display the referenced displayable location; and
responsive to receiving the single activation of the user input key, displaying the referenced displayable location. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for establishing a referenced television information within a television program guide, the system comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting the television program guide and system control parameters;
a transmission medium over which the television program guide and the system control parameters are transmitted; and
at least one receiver, the receiver being operative to;
establishing the referenced television information within the television program guide;
associating a user input with the referenced television information based on at least one display parameter of the television program guide; and
receiving the user input requesting to display the referenced television information based on the at least one display parameter; and
responsive to receiving the user input, providing the display of the referenced television information based on the at least one display parameter within the display of a portion of the television program guide. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A subscriber television system for navigating within a television program guide, the system comprising:
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a headend for transmitting the television program guide and system control parameters;
a transmission medium over which the television program guide and the system control parameters are transmitted; and
at least one home communication terminal, the home communications terminal being operative to;
establishing a referenced television display within the television program guide;
associating a user input with the referenced television display based on at least one parameter within the television program guide, the user input being generated from a user input key;
causing the television program guide to be displayed; and
receiving a single activation of the user input key requesting to display the referenced television display based on the at least one parameter; and
responsive to receiving the single activation of the user input key, displaying the referenced television display based on the at least one parameter within the television program guide. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for providing television program information on a display, the method comprising:
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associating a list identifying a plurality of reference points within a user input key;
associating each one of the plurality of reference points with a respective portion of the television program information;
receiving a first user input corresponding to the user input key;
displaying at least a portion of the list identifying the plurality of reference points responsive to receiving the first user input;
receiving a second user input corresponding to a user selection of a first reference point in the plurality of reference points; and
displaying the portion of the respective television program information associated with the first reference point responsive to receiving the second user input.
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19. A method for providing television program information on a display, the method comprising:
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associating a user input key with a user-selected program guide view;
providing an option for a user-selectable program guide view from a plurality of program guide views, wherein each program guide view in the plurality of program guide views is navigable by a user in two dimensions, each said dimension corresponding to a respective display parameter;
establishing the user-selected program guide view responsive to a selection by the user of a first program guide view from the plurality of program guide views;
causing display of a portion of television program information in a second program guide view that is different than the first program guide view;
receiving a single activation of the user input key requesting the first program guide view; and
causing display of a portion of television program information in the first program guide view responsive to receiving the single activation of the user input key.
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Specification